Allergy Action Plan

We have an allergy action plan.  Do you?

What's an action plan?
This is an explanation of what to do in the event of an allergic reaction.

• Our action plan has Bee's information: her name, her birthdate, and a list of her allergies.

• The plan also has our information: our contact information and our insurance information.

• The plan details what to do if Bee has a reaction: what to do if she's itchy, has a rash, breaks out in hives, is wheezing, or has trouble breathing.

• The plan also includes a list of her meds with instructions on dosage and how to use them.

• Our plan has our doctors contact information and is signed by our doctor.  

Why an action plan?
It's true-we don't often leave Bee.  She's usually close by.  But we always have an action plan with her in her Epi bag.  This is for Sunday school teachers or any other caregiver.  I feel more comfortable leaving Bee in someone's care (I still stay in the building), if they have a list of allergies to avoid and a protocol to follow if Bee has problems.  The plan spells out what to do and who to contact if there are questions or a problem.  It contains specific directions for all her meds and how to administer the Epi pen.

It's also for any emergency worker.  I learned the hard way that sometimes the emergency response team or the ER doctors may think you're crazy.  They might even have the gall to argue with you.  But now, I just hand over my action plan and they can see all of Bee's important information.  It keeps me from having to repeat the information a dozen times in an emergency and it also validates the information I tell them.  If they argue with me, I tell them to take it up with our doctor-her numbers on the page and her signature's at the bottom.

You can make your own plan or use one of the plans online.
Here's a food allergy action plan and here is one for asthma.  Here's a combined form for asthma and allergies and this form is from FARE's website.